Clip for closing slot in sheet metal work piece



Oct. 16, 1956 H. G. BUYAs CLIP FOR CLOSING sLOT TN SHEET METAL WORK PIECE Filed July s1, 1953 R. m m m Hogan-r G. BuYAs 577202/2@ mwz Afa/amm ATTOQMEYS United States Patent O tot CLIP FOR CLOSING SLOT IN SHEET METAL WORK PIECE Hobert G. Buyas, Burbank, Calif.

Application July 31, 1953, Serial No. 371,546

1 Claim. (Cl. i60- 173) This invention relates to metallic clips for closing punched out slots in sheet metal work pieces and more particularly to a spring clip for closing a slot punched out of a sheet metal Venetian blind slat for the removal of an elevator cord from the slat.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved clip for closing a punched out slot in a transversely curved sheet metal Venetian blind slat of uniform thickness having no bead or flange formations along its edges; onto a slat and is secured on the slat in slot-closing relationship by resilient pressure of the clip on the slat; which is especially constructed to facilitate placing it on a slat and to withstand the resilient pressure exerted by the clip on the slat; which is inconspicuous when placed in slot covering position on a slotted slat and reinforces the portion of the slat in which the slot is provided; and which is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, easy to install, and neat and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claim in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of a sheet metal Venetian blind slat with a slot punched therein for the removal of an elevator cord therefrom and of a slot closing clip illustrative of the invention mounted on the slat in slot-closing relationship;

Figure 2 is a transverse perspective view on the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective View of the slat and the clip illustrated in Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing the manner of installing the clip on the slat.

With continued reference to the drawing the sheet metal Venetian blind slat, generally indicated at 10, is slightly curved transversely and of uniform thickness and has straight and parallel side edges 11 and 12 with no bead, ange or other thickening formations. The slat is provided with apertures, as indicated at 13, elongated transversely of the slat and elevator cords, as indicated at 14, extend one through each aperture. Slots, as indicated at 15, are provided in the slat and extend from a selected edge 12 of the slat one to each aperture 13 in the slat for removing the elevator cords from the slat and removing the slat from the blind for cleaning, repair or replacement, without the necessity of disassembling the entire blind for that purpose. The slots 15 extend perpendcularly from the selected edge 12 of the slat to the adjacent ends of the corresponding apertures 13 symmetrically of the width of the apertures.

The slot closing clips, one of which is illustrated and generally indicated at 16, are formed of resilient sheet metal stock, such as spring steel, having a thickness about the thickness of the stock from which the slat 10 is formed. Each clip comprises a sheet metal strip folded over to U-shaped form and providing mutually 2,766,821 Patented Oct. 16, 1956 superposed at legs 17 and 18 and a formation 19 of partly cylindrical shape extending transversely of the clip at the closed end thereof and joined to the legs 17 and 18.

The legs 17 and 18 have the same width which is materially greater than the width of the slot 15 and the leg 17 has a length at least as great as the distance from the selected edge of the slat to the adjacent end of the corresponding aperture 13 therein while the leg 18 has a length less than the length of the leg 17 so that the leg 17 projects at its end remote from the formation 19 beyond the adjacent end of the leg 18.

The clip 16 is placed on the slat by lirst placing the projecting end of the longer clip leg 17 on the slat at the selected edge of the latter with the slot 15 disposed medially of the width of the clip. The clip is then pressed downwardly to separate the legs 17 and 18 at the open end of the clip and forced inwardly of the slat until the selected edge of the slat is in the end formation 19 of the ciip.

The clip legs are longitudinally curved to conform to the transverse curvature of the slat and when mounted on the slat the clip resiliently compresses the slat between the clip legs and is frictionally held on the slat reinforcing the slat across the slot provided therein.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a transversely curved Venetian blind slat including a pair of side edges and having between and spaced from the side edges an aperture for the extension of an elevator cord therethrough, there being a slot in said slat extending inwardly from one of said side edges to said aperture for the removal of an elevator cord that may be extended through said aperture,

of a resilient clip insertable on said slat in covering relationship to said slot and withdrawable from said slat out of covering relationship to said slot, said clip cornprising a resilient strip folded on itself to substantially a U-shape and having mutually superposed flat legs in face to face relation, said strip being formed with a partially cylindrically shaped formation extending transversely thereof and joining said legs, one of said legs being of greater length than. the other whereby said legs may be separated by placing the projecting end of the longer leg over said one side slat edge and pressing downward on said edge, said partially cylindrically shaped formation embracingly receiving therein said one side slat edge with one leg on each side thereof over the slot in the slat.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 166,613 lames Aug. 10, 1875 400,627 Augen Apr, 2, 1889 487,959 McDonald Dec. 13, 1892 2,029,143 Wicks Jan. 28, 1936 2,123,010 Kahn July 5, 1938 2,202,752 Brenner May 28, 1940 2,421,160 Newbill May 27, 1947 2,447,706 Marston Aug. 24, 1948 2,478,376 De Swart Aug. 9, 1949 2,509,677 Edmonds May 30, 1950 2,521,363 Gregory Sept. 5, 1950 2,582,162 Ray et al. Jan. 8, 1952 

